The needle master: Dr David Loh

An unassuming doctor with a quiet demeanor, Dr David Loh has gathered quite a following for his filler treatments. After all, he says that he is the trainer for new doctors wishing to learn the procedure in Singapore

by Phoenix Leow /
July 22, 2014

This article is part of a series on aesthetic doctors. For more reviews, click here.

There are only so many doctors that can claim to be a jedi master, well, sort of. Dr David Loh was midway through his surgery training when he realised that aesthetics was the way to go. He started training in the art of botox and fillers and is now training future doctors to do the same.

IN THE WAITING ROOMLocated in the heart of Orchard Road, Dr David Loh’s Surgery is nestled in the corner of Wheelock place; Far away from the hustle and bustle associated with the busy shopping mall. I was running very late from an earlier appointment, but the clinic staff were really friendly and didn’t make me feel bad about it all.

I was pleasantly surprised when I was attended to almost immediately, as I had expected to be told to wait (since I was, after all, very late).

The clinic staff escorted me to awaiting area away from passers-bys, giving me complete privacy while I waited my turn. This was certainly an added bonus, I must add.

CONSULTATION

When I entered the consultation room, I immediately noticed how bare it was, with almost no decoration adorning the walls or the tables. The simplicity in decoration was a reflection of Dr Loh. Fuss-free and a man of few words, Dr Loh addressed my skin problems with the knowledge of an experienced doctor with no pompous air. He gave me a background of my skin issues, and several reasons why it was happening in the first place.

His down to earth demeanor was again reinforced when he told me plainly ‒ clogged pores are not his expertise. But instead of brushing me off altogether, he told me to visit his partner doctor, Dr Phoon, who is more experienced in treating my condition. I took this opportunity to ask Dr Loh: What was his expertise then? He immediately started speaking with passion about the art of fillers. Within minutes I could see why he was famous for them.

Dr Loh takes his fillers very seriously. With the amount of passion he spoke about them, you would think that he had created the product. Curious about how they could change my face, I asked him what I needed. Dr Loh said, in the most gentlest way possible, how my facial proportions were wrong. I always knew I had fat cheeks, so I had initially thought I would have to do something to my jaw to make them smaller, instead he suggested filling up my chin so my entire face would look more elongated. So a simple needle could make my fat cheeks go away? I have to admit I was tempted.

TREATMENTI wasn’t game for the filler, so following his advice, I visited Dr Phoon for a consultation on my skin. Having undergone surgical training in Singapore, Dr Phoon seemed like a younger, more eager, version of Dr Loh himself.

Dr Phoon has been practicing aesthetic medicine for three years, and had previously completed basic and advanced surgical training (she was in essence, a surgeon). In terms of aesthetic medicine, her interest lies in hair transplants, but she has also developed a small range of whitening skincare products for the clinic.

She told me that my clogged pore problem isn’t a serious issue, and could be easily treated with prescription creams. She did however, remind me that creams take a long time to work (at least four weeks, to be precise) and told me to be patient. If I wanted immediate results, I could consider lasers. I opted for the creams instead.

RECOMMENDED FORThe no frills treatment. Dr Loh and Dr Phoon don’t seem like the kind of doctors who will push treatments down your throat. Everything that was suggested was realistic and took into consideration my needs. I may not have tried his filler treatments, but judging by the way he spoke about them, Dr Loh did seem like the jedi master of fillers.